Welcome back to the Saturday Success Series email!
In this edition we’ll have:
Five to Focus On: A quote, stock, book, show & a beer.
Master Yourself: The Power of Routine
Master Your Money: Luck and risk
And of course…
The Weekly Special: 4 Tools I Use to Stay Massively Productive
The goal here is maximum value, so let’s get to it.
Oh, by the way, if you’re feeling generous, please share this newsletter with a friend.
Five to Focus on:
In a noisy world, it’s hard to know what’s good out there. Let me help.
Quote to ponder: “Once I made a decision, I never thought about it again.” - Michael Jordan
Stock to consider: SRET (SuperDividend REIT ETF)
SRET accesses 30 of the highest yielding REITs in the world, potentially increasing the portfolio’s yield.
Disclaimer- this is not financial advice, I am not a financial advisor, and you should always do your own research.
Book to read: Think Again by Adam Grant
This should be required reading for all. Too many of us refuse to open our minds, or rethink our stances. And we all should be willing to take new opinions upon receiving new and better information. Competency>conviction.
Show to enjoy: Stranger Things: S4
It’s finally back! And the reviews are all 90%+. Our kids are growing up. But it still has all the ambition of season 1.
Beer to sip: Spicy Pickle Monster from Prairie Artisan
In fairness, you should only try this if you’re a pickle fan. The reviews are mixed but pickle fans are rejoicing. The biggest pickle fan on Untappd says: “Bright citrus, light funky, spicy pickle. Gimme a 12 pack!”
Master Yourself
If you’re not already creating routines, you really should consider doing so. And if you have routines, you should always look to tweak and improve them. 2016 was the year I decided to make roes one of the most important aspects of my life. All good things ever since.
Location has energy, time has memory.”-Jay Shetty
This is a big part of why routines and rituals matter.
They matter for individuals, families, companies, friend groups, everybody.
We are what we repeatedly do. So here’s where you get to create a routine that optimizes what you do. What do you want your mornings to look like? How about your family’s week? Your social life? Your business?
“Without ritual there is no rhyme or reason.”-Alvey Kulina
We create meaning through routine. We set ourselves up for success with our evening and morning routines.
We set our family up for success when create Movie Mondays and Thursday Game Nights.
We set the tone for our company’s culture with routines like weekly one on ones, yearly offsites and holiday parties.
We keep our social ties (and therefore health) strong with happy hours and Zoom hangouts with our friend groups.
When you create routines that matter, your whole life will change.
Master Your Money
Luck and Risk.
We tend to under or over estimate both at various times.
Some people think luck doesn’t exist. They’re wrong. Some people think everything is chalked up to luck. They’re wrong.
Some people think risk is the only way to get wealthy. They’re wrong. Some people think things are risky that really aren’t at all. They’re wrong.
Study broad patterns instead of specific situations.
When you read great books you see underlying themes. Pay attention.
When you study markets, you see repeating cycles. Pay attention.
Weekly Special:
4 Tools I Use to Stay Massively Productive
Life used to be a fucking train wreck. I didn’t know what was going on or what to do next. I was a mess and everything around me was. Everything was startlingly out of place.
Then 2016 happened.
I quit drinking, started reading A LOT and got my act together. Then as I started getting successful at being a human being, I found a system that works perfectly for becoming a next level human being.
I figured out how to use the 4 tools below to create a (successful) path for my life.
Tool #1: “White Board”
This is for the big picture plan. My version of the White Board, which is actually a big white paper. The back of one of those big ass desk calendars I get at my office, to be precise.
This big paper has my overarching themes for the year (and beyond). Basically the 8 Main areas of my life (plus their subcategories), that I need to focus on. For me my 8 categories are Body, Mind/Emotions, Relationship, Family, Social/Fun, Business/Career, Money/Finances and Spirituality. Using those 8 main areas as a guideline, I pick 2–3 things within each to focus on.
Tool #2: Google Calendar
I use two Google Calendars, combined into one. Color coding is amazing.
First color up is purple. That’s a shared Google monthly calendar with my girlfriend that houses all of our engagements. Dinner with friends, Back to School night, kids’ events, doctors’ appointments, etc.
Then, yellow. This tracks my personal things- client appointments, when I’m sick, birthday reminders, etc.
I like opening a calendar and having a quick view of my month right in front of me.
Tool #3: Google Sheets
I use Sheets to create a weekly to-do list. It’s color coded with free time being green. Chunking my time helps me focus on what matters. I know during school hours that this is my focus so I don’t worry about work or writing. They have their own time chunks.
I also use Sheets to track my daily health checklist (supplements, workouts, etc.) as well as my spending, books, songs and much more. Everything has a spreadsheet- even which kids movies are next up for Movie Monday.
Tool #4: Google Docs
Docs is what I use to create my daily to-do list. This to-do list focuses on the obvious- any meetings or work that must be done. But that to-do list also has my schoolwork, workout, errands, chores that need doing, and anything else I need to do, on it.
I know some people like a short to-do list, the “focus on 3 things” crowd is strong. But the reality is I need a list that lists everything I actually need to do.
I also use Docs to capture my article ideas and keep track of meeting notes from the handful of committees I’m on.
So that’s it. My year, month, week, day. A different tool for each.
Organization and productivity are things many of us seek to get better at. Hopefully these four tools get you closer to your goals.
If nothing else, they’ll help you get more free time. Which is probably the number one thing I’m after.
Thanks for reading and if you found this valuable, please share with someone who could use it. See you next Saturday!